FRANKFORT, Ky. — The cost to taxpayers for the Bevin administration's hiring of a Baptist pastor from Florida and his wife as special advisers to Kentucky on adoption and foster care could total more than $350,000 a year.

The salaries paid to Chris and Alicia Johnson, of Clermont, Florida, will not be so high — $82,500 each per year, said Elizabeth Kuhn, communications director for Gov. Matt Bevin's office.

But state records obtained by the Courier Journal show state government is planning to spend up to $700,000 over the next 23 months for the advisers — when normal job benefits and up to $69,500 for travel and miscellaneous expenses are included.

The Courier Journal submitted a state open records request on Wednesday for information about how much the Johnsons would be paid and other details of their employment by Kentucky. But Gov. Matt Bevin's office initially provided no information.

On Friday, administration spokeswomen said the Johnsons would be paid $82,500 a year. And Kuhn said late Friday that the Johnsons will be hired as state employees —not under a contract with the state.

A copy of an intra-agency agreement between the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the governor's office shows that CHFS has agreed to pay as much as $700,000 for the total cost for the work of the two advisers over the next 23 months.

The $700,000 over 23 months translates to an annual amount of $365,217.

That agreement, obtained from the General Assembly's Government Contract Review Committee staff, states that CHFS will reimburse Bevin's office for the cost of one "Administrative Assistant/Special Adviser" to the governor's office, and the cost of another to the "First Lady."

The agreement does not spell out salaries, but it does say that CHFS will reimburse the governor's office for "up to $69,500 for approved travel and miscellaneous expenses" of the two advisers, plus the cost of benefits.

Kuhn said the state's cost of benefits — particularly health care and pension costs — is what drives total costs to the state much higher than the salary cost. "The pension contribution alone is 84 cents for every salary dollar" for most state government jobs, Kuhn said.

State Rep. Jim Wayne, D-Louisville, said on Friday that the salaries are reasonable for officials who can help the state achieve the goal of getting more children adopted by families that will care for them.

"My concerns here, what I want to know more about, are the qualifications, professional training and experience of these folks in this important area of social work," Wayne said.

Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, said, "Folks concerned about these salaries, or others who think it's fine, are probably being a bit partisan. We just have to let this cake bake and see what the results are in a year or so."

Chris Johnson is pastor at Liberty Baptist Church in Clermont, Florida, according to its website. He and his wife are the parents of 10 children, seven adopted, and are active in child welfare, adoption and foster care programs in Florida, according to Wednesday's news release from Bevin's office.

A short biography on the church website says Johnson and his wife began serving full time in church ministry after graduating from Trinity Baptist College in Jacksonville, Florida. It said Chris Johnson had served at churches in Georgia and Florida.

The website said his wife is involved in various programs at the Liberty church and oversees the "Ladies Ministry."

Wednesday's news release quotes Johnson as saying he and his wife answered "God's Call" in becoming foster and adoptive parents and that the role has "provided blessings for our family that are greater than we could have ever imagined."

The cabinet's 11-page agreement to pay the costs of the two advisers requires — in return — an assessment of Kentucky's child welfare system system with a focus on laws and policies of the foster care system, the permanent placement and adoption of children in that system, and supports provided to prospective and current foster and adoptive parents.

It requires recommendations on changes that will: better serve children in foster care system, expedite permanent placement and adoption of children, and support prospective and current foster and adoptive parents.

Other requirements include that the advisers "engage faith-based parties to develop partnerships and strategies for incorporating their support of and involvement in the current foster and adoptive system of care."

The Johnsons' hiring is Bevin's second move to hire a Baptist pastor to serve as the state adoption "czar."

Last year the governor's office contracted with Dan Dumas under a contract that paid $240,000 per year. At the time, the administration touted his role as an adoptive father and leadership role at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and experience as a Navy veteran.